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Henry V - Act 3, scene 2
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Henry V - Act 3, scene 2Act 3, scene 2
⌜Scene 2⌝
Synopsis:
Bardolph, Pistol, Nym, and the Boy withdraw from the assault on Harfleur. They are driven back to it by Captain Fluellen. The Boy tells us of his masters’ cowardice. Fluellen then discusses military tactics with Captain Gower, Captain Jamy, and Captain Macmorris.
Enter Nym, Bardolph, Pistol, and Boy.BARDOLPH 1123 On, on, on, on, on! To the breach, to the
1124 breach!
NYM 1125 Pray thee, corporal, stay. The knocks are too hot,
1126 and, for mine own part, I have not a case of lives.
1127 5 The humor of it is too hot; that is the very plainsong
1128 of it.
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89
PISTOL
1129
“The plainsong” is most just, for humors do1130 abound.
1131 Knocks go and come. God’s vassals drop and die,
⌜Sings⌝ 1132 10 And sword and shield,
1133 In bloody field,
1134 Doth win immortal fame.
BOY 1135 Would I were in an alehouse in London! I would
1136 give all my fame for a pot of ale, and safety.
PISTOL 1137 15And I.
⌜Sings⌝ 1138 If wishes would prevail with me,
1139 My purpose should not fail with me,
1140 But thither would I hie.
BOY ⌜sings⌝ 1141 As duly,
1142 20 But not as truly,
1143 As bird doth sing on bough.
Enter Fluellen.
FLUELLEN
1144 Up to the breach, you dogs! Avaunt, you cullions!
PISTOL 1145 Be merciful, great duke, to men of mold. Abate
1146 thy rage, abate thy manly rage, abate thy rage, great
1147 25 duke. Good bawcock, ’bate thy rage. Use lenity,
1148 sweet chuck.
NYM, ⌜to Fluellen⌝ 1149 These be good humors. Your Honor
1150 wins bad humors.
⌜All but the Boy⌝ exit.
BOY 1151 As young as I am, I have observed these three
1152 30 swashers. I am boy to them all three, but all they
1153 three, though they would serve me, could not be
1154 man to me. For indeed three such antics do not
1155 amount to a man: for Bardolph, he is white-livered
1156 and red-faced, by the means whereof he faces it out
1157 35 but fights not; for Pistol, he hath a killing tongue
1158 and a quiet sword, by the means whereof he breaks
1159 words and keeps whole weapons; for Nym, he hath
1160 heard that men of few words are the best men, and
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91
1161
therefore he scorns to say his prayers, lest he should1162 40 be thought a coward, but his few bad words are
1163 matched with as few good deeds, for he never broke
1164 any man’s head but his own, and that was against a
1165 post when he was drunk. They will steal anything
1166 and call it purchase. Bardolph stole a lute case, bore
1167 45 it twelve leagues, and sold it for three halfpence.
1168 Nym and Bardolph are sworn brothers in filching,
1169 and in Calais they stole a fire shovel. I knew by that
1170 piece of service the men would carry coals. They
1171 would have me as familiar with men’s pockets as
1172 50 their gloves or their handkerchers, which makes
1173 much against my manhood, if I should take from
1174 another’s pocket to put into mine, for it is plain
1175 pocketing up of wrongs. I must leave them and seek
1176 some better service. Their villainy goes against my
1177 55 weak stomach, and therefore I must cast it up.
He exits.
Enter ⌜Fluellen and⌝ Gower.
GOWER 1178 Captain Fluellen, you must come presently to
1179 the mines; the Duke of Gloucester would speak
1180 with you.
FLUELLEN 1181 To the mines? Tell you the Duke it is not so
1182 60 good to come to the mines, for, look you, the mines
1183 is not according to the disciplines of the war. The
1184 concavities of it is not sufficient, for, look you, th’
1185 athversary, you may discuss unto the Duke, look
1186 you, is digt himself four yard under the countermines.
1187 65 By Cheshu, I think he will plow up all if
1188 there is not better directions.
GOWER 1189 The Duke of Gloucester, to whom the order of
1190 the siege is given, is altogether directed by an
1191 Irishman, a very valiant gentleman, i’ faith.
FLUELLEN 1192 70It is Captain Macmorris, is it not?
GOWER 1193 I think it be.
p.
93
FLUELLEN
1194
By Cheshu, he is an ass, as in the world. I1195 will verify as much in his beard. He has no more
1196 directions in the true disciplines of the wars, look
1197 75 you, of the Roman disciplines, than is a puppy dog.
Enter ⌜Captain⌝ Macmorris, and Captain Jamy.
GOWER 1198 Here he comes, and the Scots captain, Captain
1199 Jamy, with him.
FLUELLEN 1200 Captain Jamy is a marvelous falorous gentleman,
1201 that is certain, and of great expedition and
1202 80 knowledge in th’ aunchient wars, upon my particular
1203 knowledge of his directions. By Cheshu, he will
1204 maintain his argument as well as any military man
1205 in the world in the disciplines of the pristine wars
1206 of the Romans.
JAMY 1207 85I say gudday, Captain Fluellen.
FLUELLEN 1208 Godden to your Worship, good Captain
1209 James.
GOWER 1210 How now, Captain Macmorris, have you quit
1211 the mines? Have the pioners given o’er?
MACMORRIS 1212 90By Chrish, la, ’tish ill done. The work ish
1213 give over. The trompet sound the retreat. By my
1214 hand I swear, and my father’s soul, the work ish ill
1215 done. It ish give over. I would have blowed up the
1216 town, so Chrish save me, la, in an hour. O, ’tish ill
1217 95 done, ’tish ill done, by my hand, ’tish ill done.
FLUELLEN 1218 Captain Macmorris, I beseech you now,
1219 will you voutsafe me, look you, a few disputations
1220 with you as partly touching or concerning the
1221 disciplines of the war, the Roman wars? In the way
1222 100 of argument, look you, and friendly communication,
1223 partly to satisfy my opinion, and partly for the
1224 satisfaction, look you, of my mind, as touching the
1225 direction of the military discipline, that is the point.
JAMY 1226 It sall be vary gud, gud feith, gud captens bath,
p.
95
1227
105 and I sall quit you with gud leve, as I may pick1228 occasion, that sall I, marry.
MACMORRIS 1229 It is no time to discourse, so Chrish save
1230 me. The day is hot, and the weather, and the wars,
1231 and the King, and the dukes. It is no time to
1232 110 discourse. The town is beseeched. An the trumpet
1233 call us to the breach and we talk and, be Chrish, do
1234 nothing, ’tis shame for us all. So God sa’ me, ’tis
1235 shame to stand still. It is shame, by my hand. And
1236 there is throats to be cut, and works to be done,
1237 115 and there ish nothing done, so Christ sa’ me, la.
JAMY 1238 By the Mess, ere theise eyes of mine take themselves
1239 to slomber, ay’ll de gud service, or I’ll lig i’
1240 th’ grund for it, ay, or go to death. And I’ll pay ’t as
1241 valorously as I may, that sall I suerly do, that is the
1242 120 breff and the long. Marry, I wad full fain heard
1243 some question ’tween you tway.
FLUELLEN 1244 Captain Macmorris, I think, look you, under
1245 your correction, there is not many of your
1246 nation—
MACMORRIS 1247 125Of my nation? What ish my nation? Ish a
1248 villain and a basterd and a knave and a rascal. What
1249 ish my nation? Who talks of my nation?
FLUELLEN 1250 Look you, if you take the matter otherwise
1251 than is meant, Captain Macmorris, peradventure I
1252 130 shall think you do not use me with that affability as,
1253 in discretion, you ought to use me, look you, being
1254 as good a man as yourself, both in the disciplines of
1255 war and in the derivation of my birth, and in other
1256 particularities.
MACMORRIS 1257 135I do not know you so good a man as
1258 myself. So Chrish save me, I will cut off your head.
GOWER 1259 Gentlemen both, you will mistake each other.
JAMY 1260 Ah, that’s a foul fault.
A parley ⌜sounds.⌝
GOWER 1261 The town sounds a parley.
p.
97
FLUELLEN
1262
140Captain Macmorris, when there is more1263 better opportunity to be required, look you, I will
1264 be so bold as to tell you I know the disciplines of
1265 war, and there is an end.
⌜They⌝ exit.